Three out of four French people are in favor of the autonomous vehicle, which could play a decisive role in rural areas
The second edition of the VEDECOM & MACIF barometer on the acceptability of the autonomous vehicle by the French reveals that 73% of them have a positive attitude towards this means of transportation: an increase of 3 percentage points compared to 2020 (equivalent to about 2 million of the French population).
In 2020, the French had a positive perception of the automated vehicle, given that it’s introduced in a context of environmental preservation and improvement of inclusive mobility. With the growth of autonomous mobility experiments on the French territory, has the perception of the French changed in 2021? Do they see themselves using it regularly, everywhere and for everyone? What do they expect from it?
“Mobility for all, autonomy for all: this is the ambition of our community of interest on shared autonomous vehicles for the past 3 years. The autonomous vehicle must first meet a societal need before being a technology used by individual drivers. It’s in this way that the shared autonomous shuttle will help to revitalize isolated areas by providing access to employment, health care or by making mobility accessible to all.” Yann Arnaud, Director of Responses to Member’s Needs and Innovation at Macif and Leader of the Autonomous Vehicle Community of Interest.
More than 50% of French people are ready to try it
18% of respondents have already seen an automated vehicle, 6% more than in 2020. More and more people want to test it, and 5% have had the opportunity to use one this year (2 points more than in 2020).
More than half of the French people (53.50%) say they intend to try autonomous mobility in the coming years (+11 pts). More than 6 out of 10 say so when they have already seen an automated vehicle (+15 pts) and more than 7 out of 10 when they have already used one (+10 pts). In general, nearly 4 out of 10 French people (39%) plan to regularly use an autonomous vehicle (+6 pts).
The autonomous shuttle: a way to revitalize remote areas
The autonomous vehicle is highly anticipated in rural areas to provide for day-to-day services (e.g., on-demand services for isolated seniors or last-mile deliveries to industrial zones). It will finally make mobility accessible to all. A new way to get around? Yes for 67% of French people who believe that the shared autonomous vehicle will allow people living in rural areas to no longer be dependent on the private car. Nearly 3/4 of them think that shared autonomous shuttles would be useful in rural areas to go to appointments or to do shopping and 2/3 to go to the nearest town, the nearest train station or to work.
Automated mobility would respond to a concern that the French have for the most vulnerable populations. It would be useful in rural areas for the elderly (for 81% of respondents), then for those who do not have a driver’s license (78%), who do not have a car (74%), or for people with reduced mobility (64%). One French out of two would also be in favor of transporting children and teenagers in rural areas by autonomous shuttles.
Reaching out to those who will need it most
Although still low, the visibility of the autonomous vehicle is increasing throughout the country, including among rural residents. 12% of rural residents have already seen an automated vehicle, a figure that is up 4 points from 2020, but only 2% have used one (+ 1 point) compared to 7% of urban residents (+ 2 points).
The visibility of the automated vehicle is higher and growing more quickly among young people, city dwellers and executives: 24% of the 18-24 years old have seen an automated vehicle (+6 points), 23% of city dwellers (+7 points) and 22% of executives (+4 points). More than 8% of the latter have already tried an automated vehicle (+3 points). There is therefore an educational balance to be found between urban and rural populations, but also between young and old.
As for the unemployed, only 3.5% have tried an automated vehicle. This is a progression, though, since none had tried one last year.
The autonomous vehicle, associated with green energies
Autonomous vehicle is perceived as more ecological than non-autonomous vehicles by nearly 63% of respondents (+ 3 pts); 77% (+ 7 pts) of them even think that compliance with ecological standards will be mandatory. 62% of the French perceive the ecological side of the shared autonomous shuttle more than for individual automated vehicles, for which they have a reservation.
6 out of 10 French people say they are safer in an autonomous vehicle
Trust and safety is the second element that encourages the French to use an autonomous vehicle. Moreover, the same as last year, nearly 6 out of 10 French people (57.80%) say they feel safe in an automated vehicle and more than 5 out of 10 (54%; +2 pts) think that this vehicle is reliable.
The respondents consider using an autonomous vehicle as soon as they have seen or tested it at least once. To try it is to adopt it!
More confidence among the youngest respondents for level 3 – More than half of the French say they trust automated vehicles (+3 points). There is a 14 points increase in the 18-24 age group, with 41% trusting at least limited automated driving (i.e., level 3).
Autonomous mobility, symbol of freedom
When asked this year about the main elements that would encourage them to use an autonomous vehicle in general, the French mention the first, the possibilities of well-being and freedom that it brings (41% of responses). Autonomy is associated with comfort and serenity, via the on-board activities it makes possible (talking on the phone, sleeping…). Autonomous mobility everywhere and for everyone is also very appealing to the French, who are already planning to use it in concrete ways (e.g., improving mobility for the elderly and connections between cities).
However, when the French have the choice between different types of automated vehicles, they prefer the one that allows them to be able to regain control (level 3) in order, for 55% of them, to keep the mastery and maintain complete command of the car.
Trying would be adopting it
The results of this second edition clearly show that the introduction of automated vehicles, as well as the more advanced experiments, have an impact: they maintain the positive perception of the French and their a priori confidence, as well as reinforce their feeling of safety. Awareness and perception indicators confirm that the French need to know more about this new kind of mobility.
For Eric Lebeau, Managing Director of the VEDECOM Institute, “this second survey clearly shows the direct and positive link between experimentation and acceptability of the autonomous vehicle: it is now time to move on to deployment and to observation during real-life operational service pilots. The popularity rating of autonomous vehicle is slowly but surely improving, with a strong expectation for shared and electric services such as shuttles, which are perceived as more environmentally friendly and inclusive than the individual vehicle.”
The major expectation is in rural areas where autonomous mobility makes sense. Autonomous shuttles will be relevant in these areas to improve the existing network and therefore the mobility of residents who do not have access to a personal vehicle, to provide new services, and to encourage car owners to use shared formulas.
“We still need to structure a sector that can respond to the needs of the local authorities, both in terms of opportunity studies, vehicles supply, services and appropriate infrastructure,” concludes Eric Lebeau.
Methodology of the VEDECOM & MACIF Acceptability Barometer
The Automated Vehicle (AV) Acceptability Barometer was conducted with a representative panel of the French population (gender, age, geographic distribution) consisting of 4,061 people. The questionnaire was administered from October 18 to 28, 2021. The questions asked made it possible to collect data on :
- the relationship with the autonomous vehicle and in particular the main brakes and levers for using an automated vehicle
- the preferred type of autonomous vehicle to be chosen among 4: Personal Vehicle (PV) level 3 (limited autonomous driving), PV level 4 (almost complete autonomy), Robot cab level 5 (complete autonomy), Bus / autonomous shuttle level 5
- evaluation of the acceptability of the 4 vehicles including in particular the perception of the AV in terms of safety, trust, protection of personal data and attitudes (i.e. judgments on the desirability of an object or a behavior and/or its consequences, a positive attitude towards the AV amounts to judging it desirable whereas a negative attitude amounts to judging it undesirable) and the reasons for these choices
- themes related to current issues: ecology, mobility in rural areas, energy, deliveries
- the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents and their degree of technophilia (i.e., a technophile is a person who appreciates and/or encourages new technologies).
The barometer was built on the basis of the previous edition, new scientific studies and a series of interviews conducted with French people.
Download press release
Download a 2 pages infography
The Certificate Trust List has been demonstrated on the 2nd of June 2021 as a technical solution for ISO 15118 Plug and Charge interoperability.
The objective is to simplify the user experience wherever he is and guarantee the interoperability between any vehicle and any charging station. Such architecture shall enable an open and fair market between all EV actors.
Guarantee the interoperability with multiple actors
2 online identical sessions were broadcast live from Arnhem (Netherlands), Berlin (Germany) and Versailles (France).
The demonstration was operated by 17 actors representing different roles in the Electromobility domain, research institutes, manufacturers, cybersecurity actors, operators, interoperability platforms, charging infrastructure installers: Driivz, e clearing.net, ElaadNL, Freshmile, GIREVE, Hager, Hubject, IoTecha, NewMotion, Groupe Renault, SAP, Smartlab, Stellantis, Thales, Trialog, VEDECOM, Verisco
The demonstration was done in real conditions using different electric vehicles, charging stations and IT services (including PKI) in order to demonstrate the interoperability scenarios.
Promote an open and fair market for eMobility services
Electromobility actors are ready to adopt and deploy new services that will improve the user experience, such as Plug and Charge and Smart Charging. Those services should be interoperable and rely on the ISO 15118 standard. To do this, adopting a single reference architecture, from a technical and organizational point of view, is vital. Such architecture shall enable an open and fair market between all EV actors and allow end-users and operators to freely select their providers.
In this spirit, a collaborative work has started since 2019 to define and test multiple technical solutions. The partners mainly focused on PKI architectures that allow the development of multiple interoperable offers.
The French initiative Mobena is part of the demonstration
Mobena, a French initiative towards the new generation of electromobility, closely followed this demonstration, in which several of its members intervened.
The Mobena initiative was created in July 2020 by the main French professional organizations representing the electromobility ecosystem in the French market. The goal is to simplify the user experience by ensuring interoperability between charging systems and leading the way towards the deployment of a new generation of EV charging in the French market.
Coordinated by VEDECOM institute, the Mobena initiative regroups AFIREV, AVERE-France, PFA, GIMELEC, UFE and VEDECOM.
About twenty companies representing the different roles in the ecosystem have joined this initiative. The mission is to support the players of the EV charging ecosystem, operating in France, by defining the roadmap and the means to ensure a successful and harmonized deployment of the e-Mobility services.
The Mobena project, which will be launched in september 2021 and extended to more partners, will particularly focus on integrating interoperability as an initial requirement and providing high added value services through a massive adoption of the ISO 15118 standard in a competitive and open market.
A particular focus will be put on Smart Charging, Plug & Charge and the implicated end-to-end system interfaces, including backend communication protocols (OCPP, OCPI…), PKI and cyber security. This for both AC and DC charging.
Read lastest Mobena news:
Mobena harmonizes the deployment of new services for EV charging
May 17, 2021. The Mobena initiative was created in July 2020 by the main French professional organizations representing the electromobility ecosystem in the French market. The goal is to simplify the user experience by ensuring interoperability between charging systems and leading the way towards the deployment of a new generation of EV charging in the French market. The initiative now reaches two key milestones:
- the demonstration of an interoperability solution between multiple PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), organized with international partners of June 2nd, 2021. Learn more
- the kick-off of a collaborative project that gathers the e-Mobility actors and aims for ensuring a successful roll-out of the new EV charging services in the French market.
Towards an open and fair market with a reference architecture
The Mobena initiative’s objective is to ensure a successful deployment in the French market of the ISO 15118 services (Plug and Charge -PnC- and smart charging) in a harmonized way with Europe.
To do this, adopting a reference architecture, from technical and organizational point of view, is key. Such architecture shall ensure interoperability and enable an open and fair market between all EV actors and allow end-users and operators to freely select their providers.
A first technical feasibility verification
In preparation for the event planned on June 2nd, the Mobena initiative partners tested the technical feasibility of the Certificate Trust List (CTL) as a solution for Plug and Charge (PnC) interoperability between multiple PKI.
On March 11th 2021, VEDECOM hosted a Workshop for this objective at mobiLAB with the contribution of Freshmile, GIREVE, Hager, Groupe Renault, Stellantis, SAP Labs, Thales et Trialog
About the Mobena initiative
The Mobena initiative was created in July 2020 by the main French professional organizations representing the electromobility ecosystem in the French market. The goal is to simplify the user experience by ensuring interoperability between charging systems and leading the way towards the deployment of a new generation of EV charging in the French market.
Coordinated by VEDECOM, the Mobena initiative committee regroups AFIREV, AVERE-France, PFA, GIMELEC, UFE and VEDECOM.
About twenty companies representing the different roles in the ecosystem have joined this initiative. The mission is to support the players of the EV charging ecosystem, operating in France, by defining the roadmap and the means to ensure a successful and harmonized deployment of the e-Mobility services. The Mobena project, which will be launched in July 2021 and extended to more partners, will particularly focus on integrating interoperability as an initial requirement and providing high added value services through a massive adoption of the ISO 15118 standard in a competitive and open market.
A particular focus will be put on Smart Charging, Plug and Charge and the implicated end-to-end system interfaces, including backend communication protocols (OCPP, OCPI…), PKI and cyber security. This for both AC and DC charging.
For more information: Joe.matta@vedecom.fr
More information about Mobena initiative:
MOBENA website
It will bring a better experience and more services to users. In addition, it will save costs!
Industrial representatives from all electric mobility players gathered in a first plennery session. Their aim is to support the deployment of the new-generation electric mobility. Ultimately, any AC and DC terminal installed in France should be compatible with the ISO 15118 vehicle-terminal communication standard, but also secure and interoperable.
If you have ever owned an electric vehicle, you know the pleasure of less polluting the air… but also the complications of recharging. Today, electric vehicle charging system is at a crossroads. The price of electric vehicles becomes accessible, the batteries are breaking distance records. To allow a better user experience and more services, the major remaining obstacle is the maturity of charging systems. If overcame, it will bring smart charging, plug & charge (see definitions below) and later on, bidirectionnal charging systems (the car recharges the network) or even wireless systems.
To achieve this, the main French and European players are converging towards compliance with a standard for communication between terminals and vehicles, the ISO15118 standard. However, to enable the emergence of terminals compatible with this standard, and therefore an open market, it is necessary to bring all the players around the table and agree on the final specifications. One major point remains to be defined: that of cybersecurity (PKI).
General mobilisation
To this end, the main organisations representing the sectors involved in electric recharging joined forces on 7 July 2020 in the form of an Initiative for New-Generation Electric Recharge: AFIREV (Association Française pour l’Itinérance de la Recharge Electrique), AVERE (Association nationale pour le développement de la mobilité électrique), PFA (Plateforme Française de l’Automobile) and the VEDECOM Institute (research and innovation on the mobilities of the future), the latter being tasked with coordinating the initiative.
Several workshops then gave rise to a plenary meeting on 17 September 2020, bringing together around fifteen French industrialists from each sector: energy specialists such as Enedis, car manufacturers such as PSA Group, such as Schneider Electric, charging infrastructure and e-mobility services operators such as Freshmile, technology and services for e-mobility suppliers such as Trialog.
Electric Charging Initiative partners ©VEDECOM
The circle will gradually be extended to all manufacturers in order to deploy the ISO 15118 standard by 2023.
The plenary session enabled the participation of other institutional actors such as the French Ministry of Ecology (DGEC), which supports and accompanies the Initiative. It will ensure that the specicifications defined by the Initiative for the developpers are consistent with the French “Objective 100,000 charging stations” plan. The Ile de France Region was also participating. The local authority is working since 2029 on the deployment of more than 5,000 charging stations by 2022, notably with the help of the IRVE label: a system that complements national aid such as Advenir. Finally, the initiative is working together with existing French and European working groups on this theme.
3 years to manage the deployment of a standard
If one wants to implement 15118 standard into charging systems and allow plug & charge service, it is first necessary for the charging stations manufacturers to make them interoperable, i.e. able to recognise any electricity supplier and any charging infrastructure operator. It is also necessary for charging infrastructure and e-mobility services operators, as well as for technology and service providers, to learn how to make this standard work, how to implement new blocks in their information systems. This first step will allow cardless charging and plug & charge. Finally, they need to improve the security of the connection.
To achieve this, VEDECOM, as the project’s prime contractor, has proposed a two-step calendar:
- First step (2020): define the adapted cybersecurity architecture (ISO 15118 PKI) for Plug and Charge (PnC).
- Second step (by 2021-23): define a standardised, interoperable and industrialisable PnC and Smart Charging system to support a collaborative deployment. Some tests will be carried out on pilot sites. Various documents will be produced by the working group, training and technical workshops will be proposed in 2021 and 2022. At the end of this stage, all the players will benefit of all necessary tools and knowledge. By 2023, the planners and operaters will be able to start the deployment of the new-generation electric charging.
What will ISO 15118 bring in charging systems?
- Plug & Charge (PnC): this solution automatically identifies the user’s service contract by simply connecting the charging cable between the vehicle and the terminal, with a high level of security and a simplified user experience. It therefore avoids the need for multiple badges: “you plug in the cable.. and the charging process starts automatically”.
- Smart charging: this solution enables to program a recharging schedule that is negotiated between the terminal and the vehicle and optimised according to their technical constraints, the needs and requirements of the driver and the network electrical constraints.
Plug & charge preconditions :
- a service contract installed in the electric vehicle
- an electric vehicle and a PnC-compatible terminal
- interoperability so that any vehicle can be recharged at any charging station
Discover the main partners of the initiative:
- PFA (Plateforme Française de l’Automobile)
- AFIREV (Association Française pour l’Itinérance de la Recharge Electrique)
- AVERE (Association nationale pour le développement de la mobilité électrique)
- VEDECOM Institute (research and innovation on the mobilities of the future),
Related articles:
France prepares to introduce New-Generation Electric Mobility
VEDECOM is the Frontrunner in Innovative Recharging Systems at EVS32
VEDECOM is attending EVS32, the leading international scientific conference on vehicle electrification
The main electric mobility players are joining forces to plan and co-ordinate the roll-out of a charging infrastructure for new-generation electric vehicles. It will consist of terminals and information systems adopting the ISO 15118 standard. The end result will be a simplified user experience, improved energy management and greater assurance of system interoperability and security, improving user confidence in charging. All players in the sector will be involved: vehicle and charging station manufacturers, charging infrastructure operators, mobility service providers and electricity suppliers and distributors. The Committee behind this initiative will enable French players to improve their R&D and innovation capability and to give France a presence on the European stage.
A consortium built on new-generation charging technology in France
In a memorandum of understanding signed on 7 June, AFIREV (the French association for electrical vehicle charging roaming), AVERE (the French association for the development of electric mobility, the PFA (Automobile Platform) and the VEDECOM Energy Transition Institute united to form an Initiative Committee for New-Generation Charging, intended to involve the entire French ecosystem. This consortium will also be responsible for implementing technical decisions relating to the ISO 15118 standard at European level, particularly with regard to cybersecurity (PKI).
“The French automotive industry supports all the specific measures to give a real acceleration of the deployment of charging infrastructure in France, offer a charging solution to each user and give confidence to future buyers of electric vehicles, says Jean-Luc Brossard, R&D Director of the PFA. These measures must focus as a priority on road charging solutions, in collective housing and on major highways of the national network.
As part of the car recovery plan announced on May 26, the desire to support the ambition of one million electric or rechargeable hybrid vehicles rolling by 2022 is declined in a first objective of 100,000 charge points public by the end of 2021. The future charging infrastructure will have to be homogeneous, interoperable, intelligent, capable of simplifying the user experience and providing services with high added value.”
The role of this Committee is to implement collaborative measures in two stages: firstly, to define the appropriate cybersecurity architecture (PKI) for the new standard, thento support the rollout of Plug and Charge (PnC) and of the “Smart Charging” system.
AFIREV Chairman Gilles Bernard explains: “Today, it is essential for us to work together so that we can move to this new stage in the deployment of charging infrastructure and develop a unified approach across Europe. An initial group of around fifteen players will come together around 2020, being further strengthened in 2021-22 by all players in the sector.”
The Committee has mandated VEDECOM, as a research institute which already has a strong involvement in future recharging work, to provide technical and economic co-ordination and implement these initiatives.
From left to right, 1rst row : Claude Renard (EV Charging Infrastructure Deployment Coordinator, DGEC, French Ministry of Transition Ecologique et Solidaire), Gilles Bernard (AFIREV Chairman), Tony Jaux (Chairman of the Board of VEDECOM), Joseph Beretta (AVERE Chairman), Jean-Luc Brossard (R&D Director PFA) ;
2d rang : Mourad Tiguercha (Concentus consultant for VEDECOM), Joe Matta (VEDECOM Project Manager New-Generation Electric Mobility), Nicolas Leclère (PSA Group, CSTA 2 Group Leader for the PFA), Prof. Féthi Ben Ouezdou (VEDECOM Scientific Director), Roch El Khoury (VEDECOM Electrification Domain Director).
Rolling out a smart, interoperable charging infrastructure
For France, the Committee’s ultimate goal is to create conditions favourable to the introduction of new energy services, ensuring that all new alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) charging points installed in France can be interoperably ISO 15118 compatible and that Charge Point Operators (CPOs) and Electric Mobility Service Providers (eMSPs) can supply Plug and Charge (PnC) and Smart Charging services.
To achieve this goal, this project will specify the technical requirements for the deployment of PnC and Smart Charging, based on international standards.
In the words of AVERE Chairman Joseph Berreta, “the electric mobility ecosystem is now reaching an important stage in its development. To reach maturity, the market must be able to roll out new charging services that will improve and simplify the user experience while improving the integration of electric mobility into the electrical system.
These major developments require the deployment of coherent public policies which include support programmes.”
In addition to its considerable enhancement of communication between an electric vehicle and a charging infrastructure, the ISO 15118 standard provides drivers with new services:
- Plug and Charge (PnC), which automatically identifies the user’s service contract simply by connecting the charging cable between the vehicle and the charging point, with a high level of electronic security and a simplified user experience;
- Smart Charging, whereby a charging schedule can be negotiated between the charging point and the vehicle, optimised according to their technical constraints, the driver’s needs and requirements, pricing constraints and the networks’ electrical constraints;
A new, simple, innovative and secure protocol which supports future innovations
Today, a pass card is generally needed for charging. In future, regardless of the vehicle, charging infrastructure operator or electricity supplier, Smart Charging will work independently of this system, providing quick, fluid and secure operation.
VEDECOM Director General Philippe Watteau believes that “we are ready: the charging point-to-vehicle communication process using ISO 15118 works, and is backed by most of our European partners. The new generation of charging infrastructure brings major challenges in terms of authentication, security and trust, but also of deployment and interoperability. We are going to address these issues incrementally, drawing on the existing infrastructure. However, we have yet to jointly specify and promote the best PKI infrastructure. In a second phase, we will be able to build on this work and innovate disruptively,” he adds.
That’s because the Initiative Committee for New-Generation Charging’s second objective is to facilitate the future deployment of emerging use cases, including:
- bidirectional charging, which uses the charging infrastructure to negotiate and optimise the reinjection of electricity stored in the battery to the house (vehicle-to-home), the building (vehicle-to-building) or the electricity network (vehicle-to-grid);
- cable-free charging (inductive or automated charging).
Download the Press Alert (PDF)
VEDECOM Tech, a trading subsidiary of VEDECOM, is launching M’OBS, France’s first rating agency for new mobility solutions. Its goal is to enable stakeholders in the mobility sector to have a clearer overview of the wealth of new solutions and offers available including car-pooling, car-sharing, micro-mobility, self-service vehicles, etc. This clarity will be particularly useful as the lockdown ends, when users will find a changed and disrupted new mobility ecosystem awaiting them.
To update their assessments, the M’OBS teams are examining the consequences of the crisis on participants in the new mobility industry.
In the meantime, M’OBS has unveiled its first study carried out before the health crisis began: a ground-breaking ranking of mobility operators worldwide focusing on three categories: the top mobility applications, the best prices proposed by shared mobility operators and innovative practices to manage the parking of bicycles and scooters. In doing so, the selected solutions have been allocated scores based on an evaluation method which takes account of economic performance and the user experience.
“M’OBS came about when we noticed that there was a lack of information and benchmarks in the new mobility ecosystem. We aim to provide a 360° overview of existing national and international solutions. Each solution is assessed by the M’OBS team based on 46 analysis criteria. The objective is to help stakeholders in the mobility sector – including local authorities – to better understand both their environment and users’ expectations in order to identify the solutions best suited to their area” stressed Stéphane Rabatel, Former CEO of VEDECOM Tech.
